Chitika

Chitika

torsdag 7 januari 2010

Skin Cancer Early Stages - Take Action Immediately

By William Wallace

The diagnosis of skin cancer can be devastating. It is a scary time and you may be wondering what you should do next. If your skin cancer has been detected in its early stages your chance of survival is very good.

The best chance of keeping skin cancer under control is to be aware of your skin and notice any changes early enough to catch it before it progresses. Your odds of beating it greatly improve if you are proactive and catch it early.

During the initial phases of skin cancer you will learn if you have a non-melanoma or a melanoma skin cancer. The beginning stages for these two cancers carry a very good prognosis for survival. It is quite uncommon for a basal cell carcinoma to advance past the second stage so the prognosis is excellent if this is the form of skin cancer you're dealing with.

If you have been diagnosed with a melanoma skin cancer it can and does spread beyond stage I and II if it is not stopped. When it is found in stage I and II the survival rate for a melanoma over five years is almost 100%. If it is found at stage III the survival rate drops to 60%. This is a large drop and shows the importance of early detection as the biggest cure for melanoma skin cancer.

It is absolutely vital that you regularly check your skin at least once a month. A doctor should also see you regularly so that your skin can be checked as a part of your normal physical. If you notice anything suspicious on your skin you should have it checked out by a doctor immediately. This is especially true if you have a mole or discoloration that is changing shape and or color.

You should also check with your doctor if you have a wound that will not heal. Obtain the description of what a melanoma skin cancer looks like from your doctor so that you have a good idea of what you are looking for when you do your self exams. You must be able to identify possible skin cancer.

In early stages of skin cancer the growth can be relatively small in size, about the size of a pea, and progressively grows larger. Eventually other organs will become involved as the cancer progresses through the body. Once this happens the survival rate will drop and other forms of treatment, aside from removal of the cancer, will be necessary.

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